evidence. The vice president or associate vice president then appoints a designee to investigate the allegation. If, as a result, the investigator finds that academic dishonesty has occurred, the student is informed in writing of the sanctions to be imposed. The student has five business days from the date on the written notice within which to appeal the decision of the investigator. Students wishing to appeal should do so in writing to the vice president of academic services (Savannah, eLearning) or the associate vice president for academic services (Atlanta, Hong Kong), including all pertinent evidence to support the appeal. An appeals committee then convenes to review the case. Findings are presented to the vice president for academic services or the associate vice president for academic services, who sends the student a decision in writing within 30 days of the written appeal. If no appeal is made, the student is assigned a grade of F in the course and the student forfeits the right to continue to attend the class in which the academic dishonesty occurred. Additional sanctions may also be imposed, including suspension or dismissal. A second charge of academic dishonesty results in dismissal from SCAD.

Complaints and Appeals

Students are encouraged to resolve any concerns they may have by directly contacting the office or persons responsible for the area relevant to the concern or complaint. If unsure about the proper way to address complaints, students should contact the ombudsman. As a neutral party, the ombudsman may seek additional information about the situation, assist with appropriate communication and mediate disputes. If unable to satisfactorily resolve issues directly with the

relevant office or persons or through the ombudsman’s office, the student may submit a formal written appeal to the appropriate academic or administrative dean or director, associate vice president, vice president, or the Chief Academic Officer, according to the nature of the appeal. Written student appeals must be submitted within 30 calendar days (five business days for academic dishonesty sanctions and three business days for code of conduct sanctions) and must include the student’s full name, student ID number, SCAD location, SCAD e-mail address and phone number. The appeal must be specific in describing the issue of concern: the date, time and place of any occurrence; the names of any persons involved, including any witnesses; details of any occurrence; other relevant information or documentation; and the desired outcome. All appeals must be signed or sent from the student’s SCAD email account. Complaint and appeal policies apply uniformly across SCAD

locations and learning modalities. The university protects a student’s right to lodge a complaint or written appeal under these procedures and seeks to resolve all student concerns fairly and in a timely manner.

ACADEMIC APPEALS

Academic Policies Academic policy appeals are written student requests to make exceptions to the university’s academic policies or to review academic decisions. Students should address all academic policy appeals to the Chief Academic Officer and submit them by email to academicappeals@scad.edu. Once

submitted, the student’s appeal is routed to the appropriate SCAD administrator for review and consideration. A decision from the CAO regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal or receipt of additional information. The decision is final.

Grades Concerns regarding final grade assignments must be addressed directly with the faculty member issuing the grade or, if necessary, with the professor’s department chair. A review of the student’s grade is conducted to validate the grade assignment. The department chair and school dean must authorize any grade change due to numerical miscalculation by the faculty member issuing the grade. If, after this review, the student is not satisfied, he or she may

file a written appeal with the vice president for academic services (for Savannah or eLearning) or the associate vice president (for Atlanta or Hong Kong) by emailing academicappeals@scad.edu. This appeal must include evidence of previous correspondence and should be submitted within 30 calendar days following the last day of the quarter. A decision from the vice president or associate vice president regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal. The decision is final.

NON-ACADEMIC

Americans with Disabilities Act Grievances must be made in writing to the director of disability services within 30 calendar days of the alleged violation. A decision from the director regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal. The decision is final.

Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Actions Judicial sanction appeals must be addressed in writing to the dean of students. Appeals must be made within three business days of the finding of violation. A decision from the dean regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal. The decision is final.

Financial Aid Students who receive a written notice of loss of financial aid due to unsatisfactory progress may appeal in writing to the director of financial aid. The appeal must be received within 30 calendar days of the date on the unsatisfactory progress notification letter. A decision from the director regarding the appeal is made in writing to the student within 30 calendar days following receipt of the appeal or receipt of additional information. The decision is final.

Sexual Harassment Complaints may be initiated to the vice president for student success by (a) signing and delivering a written complaint or by (b) presenting the complaint in person. In the event that the complaint is made in person, and the complainant decides to proceed formally, the complaint is reduced to writing during the meeting and signed by the complainant. A decision from the vice president regarding the appeal is made in writing to